A Study Of Social And Cultural Capital In Graduation For African American Students In Four-Year Colleges, Andrew Oni

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The prevalence of the persistent low graduation rate among African American students in four-year colleges gave rise to the examination of the role of social and cultural capital in improving graduation for African American students. This study examines the role played by the relationship between social and cultural capital and other factors for African American students’ graduation. Guided by social and cultural capital as the theoretical framework which presents social and cultural capital as acquired by parents’ and students' social networks and cultural endowment and tenets. These two levels of social and cultural capital are available for students to utilize …

The Impact Of The Language Allocation Plan On Student Outcomes In Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Programs, Bonnie Sue Molina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study investigated the achievement in English language arts (ELA) and math of students in grades four through six in 50/50 two-way dual language immersion (DLI) programs, as measured by the Spring 2018 PARCC assessments. The study builds on previous research indicating that students in DLI programs perform as well or better than their general education counterparts, and expands on that research by investigating two DLI programs with differing language allocation plans as the program variable of interest: a weekly plan in Englewood, NJ, and a daily plan in Woodstock, IL. Linear multiple regression analysis was used to control …

Influences Impacting Child Study Team School Social Workers Decision-Making In A New Jersey Urban District On Placement Of Students Classified Emotionally Disturbed, Pia D. Moore

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research on students classified as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) shows that a disproportionate number of ED students are educated outside of the general education setting. In New Jersey a little more than half of students classified as ED are not educated in general education classrooms for most of their school day. The academic performance of ED students is often lower in self-contained environments than in the general education setting (Oelrich, 2012). ED students overall have poor academic and life experiences. The educational program and setting in which an ED student is primarily educated might have an impact on their current and …

See No Evil: Are Community Colleges Underreporting Or Nonreporting Sexual Assaults?, Songa Y. Thomas-Montford

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The Clery Act is a consumer protection law intended to protect students by forcing institutions of higher education to be transparent about campus crime, as the concern is that many colleges and universities are underreporting or nonreporting campus crime statistics. This study included two research questions. The first question, “What are the common themes determined in the audits concerning Clery Act violations for two-year schools?,” was addressed by conducting a deductive content analysis by reviewing each U.S. Department of Education (USDOEd) Clery Act compliance audit in the research sample. The USDOEd, Federal Aid Data Center’s public database, was the source …

An Analysis Of The Complex Thinking Requirements Of The Terranova And Iowa Practice Tests In English/Language Arts For Grade 8: A Tale Of Two Tests, Armand Lamberti

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

The importance of higher-order thinking, 21^st-Century Skills, and standardized testing are important issues in education. TerraNova and IOWA tests are widely used to assess students’ academic competence. The publishers of the TerraNova and IOWA tests claim that their assessment instruments challenge students to employ higher-order thinking skills. This study sought to examine and describe ways in which the language found in the TerraNova and IOWA English/Language Arts practice tests compared with the language that promotes higher-order thinking found in the literature. A convergent, parallel mixed-methods study with qualitative and quantitative content analysis methods was conducted to (a) …

Urban Public Middle School Teachers And Their Response To High Student Mobility, Maria J. Ortiz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the teachers’ perspective of student mobility in urban public middle schools in the northeast state of the country. Thirty middle school teachers in an urban public-school system were interviewed about their prior years’ classroom experience with student mobility. They included those teaching English as a Second Language, Special Education, Science, Math and Language Arts, and Social Studies. In addition, student achievement data on standardized tests were studied. The research study concluded that teachers reported that they experienced frustration and anxiety, and that student mobility and its classroom consequences were relegated to the “undiscussable” aspects of the profession; …

Examining The Relationship Between Cognitive Selection Criteria For Admission And Noncognitive Performance Outcomes In A Professional Graduate Degree Program, Rosalie Maiorella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The admission processes in higher education have been the topic of considerable discussion and study at all levels of the institution from undergraduate to graduate and professional education. This study focused on graduate students who completed their master’s degree in Counseling and School Counseling from 2010 to 2018. Students completed their degree fully online and from a distance. The goal was to determine if admission criteria were predictive of end of program clinical fieldwork evaluations. Independent variables looked at were Undergraduate GPA (UGPA); GRE: (V)erbal, (Q)uantitative, and (W)riting; First Semester Graduate GPA (GPA1), and Cumulative Graduate GPA (GPAEP). End of …

Mentoring As A Pathway To Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In Urban High School Academies, Tyeshia A. Hilbert

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Chronic absenteeism is a rising concern for schools across the country. There are a host of reasons why students miss school: internal factors that can push students out of school and external factors that can pull students out of school. Districts have been mandated to implement strategies and supports that will combat this issue by increasing student attendance and decreasing chronic absenteeism.

The concept of mentoring has been around for centuries and recently has been associated with improvement in the attendance of chronically absent students. This dissertation intended to examine attendance and chronic absenteeism rates of students in two urban …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Efficacy Of Literacy Coaching As A Valuable Professional Development Practice, Erin J. Stinson-Dioguardi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived effectiveness of literacy coaching as a valuable professional development practice for teachers in New Jersey provided with literacy coaching support from a school-based literacy coach. This study also explored instructional coaching and the potential impact this support has on teacher practice. The study was designed to identify the successful professional development strategies that instructional coaches in New Jersey utilized to influence teacher practice. This study may be valuable to researchers, school districts, and educators currently or seeking to implement an instructional coaching program as part of high-quality professional development. The …

The Influence Of English Language Arts Instructional Minutes On Student Achievement In Grades 6, 7, & 8, Franklin Goulburn

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to examine if a relationship existed between allocated English Language Arts (ELA) instructional minutes within a school’s bell schedule for Grades 6, 7, and 8 and its corresponding mean PARCC score for that grade. Furthermore, the study also sought to detect the presence of an interaction effect regarding time, socioeconomic status, and student performance. The study controlled for other student, faculty, and school variables as well. Data for ELA instructional time were obtained from school personnel and also through school websites. Additional variable were obtained through the New Jersey School Performance Reports …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Physician Assistant Program Characteristics And Performance On The Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, Christopher Hanifin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

One of the most highly regarded indicators of a physician assistant (PA) training program’s quality is the record of success of its graduates in passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). Similar to other professional examinations such as the bar examination and the certified public accountant examination, the PANCE can provoke a great deal of anxiety for both new graduates and program administrators. Successful completion of the PANCE is a prerequisite for licensure in all 50 states and represents a final hurdle for students seeking to begin their new healthcare career.

To promote transparency and to protect consumers, the …

Teacher Perceptions On Awareness And Compassion Among Students Following A Human Rights Education Professional Learning Community, Anthony J. Casella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examines the perceptions of a faculty after the interdisciplinary implementation of a human rights education platform in the context of moral efficacy in the student body. The teachers participated in a year-long professional learning community (PLC) focused on bringing human rights issues into regular classroom dialogue, modeled after the United Nations human rights education effort. This study considers the following questions: (1) How do teachers perceive the implementation of human rights discussions into their curriculum influences their students’ awareness of human rights issues? (2) In what ways, if any, do teachers perceive a difference in their students’ empathy …

Understanding The Relationship Between Economic And Institutional Trends And Public University Presidential Turnover, Jeffrey P. Levine

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Presidents are leaving public colleges and universities at higher rates than they previously were over the last several decades. Previous studies on college and university presidential departure primarily have focused on internal institutional factors to offer explanations of understanding of why they leave office. Public university presidents earn less than private ones, and have to add successful (or unsuccessful) navigation of state politics to their skill sets. This study focused on both internal institutional factors and external environmental factors specifically within each state the public college or university is located. These include both external economic and political factors.

These external …

Rotarians’ Transformative Path From Initiate To Servant Leader: A Narrative Study Examining The Motivation To Volunteer, Edwin A. Kalinka

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Rotarians’ Transformative Path from Initiate to Servant Leader: A Narrative Study Examining the Motivation to Volunteer The purpose of this research study was to explore Rotarians transformative path from initiate (follower) to servant leader supporting student programs. Research was conducted using a qualitative narrative design to examine participants’ perceptions of the factors that motivated them to join a volunteer organization with the motto “service above self,” the factors that motivated them to support student programs, and their perceptions of the impact of their volunteer efforts. Sixteen Rotarian participants supporting EarlyAct, InterAct, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Short-Term Youth Exchange, and Long-Term …

Lay Faculty's Understanding And Operationalization Of Augustinian Core Values In Secondary Education, Joseph J. Zagarella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Augustinian education is a Catholic education offered through an Augustinian lens. This education is rooted in the history and values of the Order of St. Augustine of Hippo carried forth and appropriated to the modern day by those who have steeped themselves in the life and legacy of Augustine of Hippo. This qualitative case study attempts to investigate the lay faculty participants’ understanding of three Augustinian core values and how those values are operationalized in their interaction with students inside and outside the classroom. The study also investigates if there is a perceived need for further professional development in the …

The Influence Of Venables’ Data Action Model On The Academic Performance Of Urban Grade 3, Grade 6, And Algebra I New Jersey Students On The Mathematics Section Of The 2018 Parcc, Devonii L. Reid

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study examined the impact of utilizing Venables’ Data Action Model as the focus of a professional learning community (PLC) in a small urban school district on mathematics achievement in Grade 3, Grade 6, and Algebra I courses, as measured by the 2018 mathematics PARCC assessment. More specifically, this study evaluated the impact of teacherdeveloped action plans that addressed the needs of selected students within all three tiers of the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) model. The findings in this study contributed to the larger body of research on data-driven instruction and effective strategies for supporting teachers throughout the …

The Institutionalization Of An Innovative Curricular Component In A Federally Funded Program To Increase Minorities In Stem Fields. A Case Study Of A Small And Large University, Janine Kelly-Hardy

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The study focused on the Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Program. Its mission is to increase the number of under-represented students in STEM majors. The National Science Foundation has been funding this program for the past 20 years. Studies were conducted about its success, however, little has been said about HOW the program was formed and prospects for its future amid changes in leadership due to retirement and turnover of staff members. This study looked at the sustainability of LSAMP, specifically how one central academic program component—the academic excellence workshops were institutionalized/integrated by funding it into the organizational life of …

Faculty Role In Student Career Development: A Qualitative Study, Marianne Jacullo Brosnan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As chief architects of curriculum, faculty are largely responsible for student learning outcomes. Given the cost of higher education and the amount of debt students incur, higher education stakeholders want to know if higher education is worth the investment.

Student career preparedness is an important goal of higher education. While research has been dedicated to college student development, career decision-making, and student-faculty interaction from a student perspective, little is known about the faculty perspective and their role in student career preparedness in a specific articulated way.

In this study, the phenomenological perspective provided a framework for data collection and analysis. …

An Analysis Of The Higher Order Thinking Requirements Of Parcc Practice Assessments In Grades 3 And 4, Leslie A. Solis-Stovall

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

This mixed methods study aimed to categorize and analyze the frequencies and percentages of complex thinking in the PARCC practices assessments grades 3 and 4. The Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix was employed for the first part of the study to code each of the PARCC assessment questions in Language Arts and Mathematics Grades 3 and 4 based on pre-existing codes. Deductive category application was utilized to connect the language from Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix to the language of the questions in the tests. To ensure reliability we utilized the double-rater read behind method as in other similar studies. In …

The Potential Link Between Teacher Evaluation And Student Achievement, Darrell Stinchcomb

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

The push for educational accountability and standardization in the United States gained traction with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Uniformity in the curriculum, academic standards, testing, and accountability were some of the requirements that were being touted by politicians, educators, and special interest groups. School districts across the United States were forced to develop systems to prove that teachers were teaching and students were learning. New York State enacted reform legislation under Education Law section 3012-c, which included the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) to evaluate teachers and principals. One of the components of this evaluation …

Beginning Reading: A Comparative Study Of Beginning Reading Phonics Programs, Michelle Lee Beishline

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

There is a gap in our understanding of effective early reading instructional approaches, particularly regarding identifying which specific core systematic phonics reading programs provide longer-lasting impact on literacy achievement. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the effects of two distinct pre-kindergarten phonics programs, a linguistic phonics program and a basal phonics program, on short and long-term literacy outcomes. The overarching question addressed in this study was whether the type of literacy instruction in pre-kindergarten predicts outcomes in kindergarten and grade 3 and to what extent, if any, these relationships are moderated by demographic variables. More specifically, …

The Influence Of Publicly Funded Preschool Programs In New Jersey Public School Districts On Student Achievement In Fourth Grade, Stephanie Elizabeth Kuchar

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This correlational, explanatory, cross-sectional study aimed to explain the influence of a school district having a publicly funded preschool program on English language arts and mathematics test results on the New Jersey Partnership for Assessment for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) for fourth graders. The study aimed to provide research-based evidence on the influence of publicly funded preschool programs on a district. The study used focused on the thirty-five (35) New Jersey school districts that had public preschool programs in 2012. The study concluded that consistent student attendance was a significant factor in districts with preschool programs when it …

Retitling Title Ix, Matthew F. Marino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Title IX, a federal education policy put into place in the early 1970s, has been under the microscope for its perceived failure to protect students from sexual misconduct. Since 2011, and especially since 2017, conflict has existed among higher education, the judicial system, and the Department of Education (ED), resulting in little clarity as to proper Title IX response. However, little research exists that attempts to examine court cases for both commonalities and divergence in how higher education institutions respond to Title IX incidents of sexual misconduct and whether those procedures mesh with how the courts view proper Title IX …

If You Can’T Beat Them, Join Them: A Quantitative Look At Conference Realignment And Fbs Institutions, Daniel H. Hrdina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study took a quantitative look at the statistical effect on admissions of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly Division IA, institutions’ moves from one athletic conference to another conference with greater athletic success. This study was unique because although previous research in the area of college athletics had identified number of applications and quality of the applicants as variables associated with athletic success, there has been minimal research on the statistical relationship of changing football conferences while using these variables. This study also provides a clear definition and ranking system for yearly conference prestige. The research question …

Teacher Perceptions Of Digital Gaming And 21st-Century Skills In The Middle School Classroom, Elizabeth Omegna

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Teacher Perceptions of digital gaming and 21st-century skills in Middle School classrooms

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to capture teacher perceptions on the use of digital gaming in the learning environment of middle school classrooms. Additionally, to speak to perceptions on learning of 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking.

This study of two middle schools in the same district in suburban New Jersey was utilized for capturing the ideas of teachers who employed a variety of digital games in the classroom as part of their learning objectives.

An interview protocol was utilized to direct questions …

The Influence And Predictability Of Socioeconomic Factors On The 2018 Parcc Middle School Ela Scores In New Jersey, Charlene Jones

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This quantitative study is nonexperimental, utilizing socioeconomic, community, and district data to determine what influence and level of accuracy of prediction is made on standardized testing in New Jersey. This study focuses on middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 in New Jersey's traditional public schools. The study design is a quantitative correlational predictive study design. SES factors for each district were identified using both U.S. Census data and NJDOE district data. Independent variables include percentage of poverty, percentage of single-parent families, education level of parents, percentage of free and reduced price lunch. The dependent variables include: 2018 …

Hombres Y Hermandad (Men & Brotherhood): Exploring The Role Of Fraternity Involvement On Latino Masculinity Development In College, Michael Vega

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Despite accounting for the largest increase in higher education enrollment over the last ten years, Latinx students have continued to earn their bachelor’s degrees among the lowest rates of all racial/ethnic groups. Latino men specifically have continued to underperform Latina females, maintaining one of the widest gender gaps in bachelor’s degree completion rates. There are various challenges that all Latinx students face in relation to earning their bachelor’s degree within six years, however there are unique gender norms within the Latinx culture that impact Latino male students in a more significant way. Tenets of their Latino masculinity create expectations where …

The Rising Profile Of Sexual Harassment On Campus: How Do Faculty Respond Inside And Outside The Classroom, Scott C. Strother

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Faculty behavior inside and outside the classroom is one of the many concerns faced by higher education administrators. Inappropriate comments, behavior, or acts engaged in by faculty members have resulted in sexual harassment complaints being filed by students, and in some cases resulted in costly litigation and settlements for some colleges and universities. In the recent news, public figures like actor Bill Cosby and Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein have been openly accused of sexual harassment and/or rape. High publicity matters like these presumably have an influence on awareness of the issue of sexual harassment.

The purpose of this study was …

An Urban High School’S Response To A Demographic Shift, Tristian Cox

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

With the increasing numbers of Latino English Learners in United States, school educators are tasked with how to better service this population of students. New immigration destination schools are being affected by challenges that come with this increasing population of students. High schools that are experiencing demographic shifts from being predominantly African American to Latino are not prepared to meet the needs of these students. Moreover, additional challenges that arise with this group of students involve addressing their socio emotional and acculturation needs. This qualitative study examined how key personnel in an urban high school responded to a swift …

The Effect Of Organizational Commitment On Teacher-Coach Burnout, Matthew O'Brien

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the levels of burnout and organizational commitment within teacher-coaches, and additionally, to explore the degree to which organizational commitment mediated the relationship between teacher-coaches and burnout. The data was analyzed with quantitative analyses including multiple regression analysis and mediation analysis. Survey data was collected through the use of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Educators Survey (Maslach, 1986) and the Meyer, Allen, and Smith’s (1993) Revised Three-Component Model (TCM) Commitment Survey. In total, 42 teacher-coaches and 21 teachers from Orange County, NY were eligible for the study, and thus, 63 total sets of …